Posted on 02/25/2012 2:14:42 PM PST by Libloather
Ann Romney: No more debates for Mitt
By Keith Laing - 02/25/12 03:10 PM ET
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's wife Ann said the former Massachusetts governor would not participate in any more debates in the GOP primary.
Introducing Romney before his speech to the conservative group Americans For Prosperity's forum in Troy, Mich., Ann Romney said that she decided that her husband should stop debating the other Republican candidates.
"I've also decided no more debates," Ann Romney said to laugher in her introduction of her husband. "If we do another debate, he's going to sit in the audience and watch me."
The Republican field has battled itself in more than 20 debates and forums since the early months of 2011. As the wide array of candidates has steadily been narrowed the attacks have grown more intense and personal.
Ann Romney joked Saturday that she should "do all the talking" for her husband, who has been criticized for his gaffes on the campaign trail. In a speech in Detroit on Friday, the candidate tried to show his support for the American auto industry by naming the American cars his family owned. But when he said his wife "drives a couple of Cadillacs," critics said he sounded out of touch with less wealthy people.
"Maybe I should do all the talking and let him just stand here and watch me," Ann Romney said Saturday.
The former governor did not take up his wife's offer, using his speech to the AFP to criticize both President Obama and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, with who he is locked in a tight race, according to the latest polls.
Romney, whose father was the governor of Michigan in the 1960s, also touted his Michigan roots, noting that he and Ann were both raised in the state. A loss in what is widely viewed as one of Romney's home states could deal a serious blow to his hopes for winning the GOP nomination.
"It's good to be in Michigan," Romney said of his ties to the state, which holds its primary on Feb. 28. "A lot of stories here. Deep roots here."
Moving on to the attack against the president, he said that Obama was "out of ideas."
"He's out of excuses," Romney said. "In 2012 he's going to be out of office."
Romney also targeted Santorum, quoting the former senator's endorsement of his during his bid for the GOP nomination in 2008.
"I can attest for my conservative credentials from someone who endorsed me in my 2008 campaign," Romney said. "Sen. Santorum was kind enough to say on the Laura Ingram show, he said 'Mitt Romney. This is a guy who is really conservative, and who we can trust.'"
Romney continued, "He's right, I'm the conservative candidate and what we need in the White House is principled conservative leadership, and I'll bring it."
Santorum said Friday he regretted endorsing Romney for president in 2008.
"As far as my endorsement, you know what?," Santorum said. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
In his own speech to the AFP forum Saturday, Santorum argued Romney was too moderate to be the GOP nominee.
"Every time we’ve run a moderate, we’ve lost," Santorum said. "Every time we’ve run a conservative, a complete conservative … we’ve won.
"Why would we nominate someone who is uniquely unqualified to take on the big issue of today," he continued.
Laura Bush helped ruin W’s Presidency. We don’t need another goofy socialist in bed with another President. Mitt never answers questions after speeches, he is too cowardly to appear on Beck and Levin, and for good reason. “The trees are just the right size”, “My wife drives two Cadillacs”, is the type of thing that he says when he’s off-script. Bob
Mitt against himself would be a compelling debate.
“( unless they can hand a commie his ba!!s on a platter )”
Using your standard that would only leave Newt in the debate.
fine by me.
Romney knows what works for him, no debates, no Sunday shows, limited friendly interviews, lots of TV, endorsements by Rinos willing to keep repeating lies and distirtions about your opponets, More TV and negative ads complete with lies and distortions about any candidate who nears him in the polls and help from the MSM who will turn on him as soon as he gets the nominations.
Romney’s new slogan “We Don’t Need No Stinking Debates”
Now if she’d said “No more debates run by the Dem/liberal media” or something like that...
So do you recommend he refuse to debate Obama in the general election too?
Santorum is right that Romney is uniquely unqualified to take on Obama on the key issue of the election, Obamneycare. But what Santorum stupidly doesn't get is that HE is uniquely unqualified to take on the key issue of this PRIMARY, whether Romney is conservative enough to be the nominee or not, because Santorum endorsed him in 2008 and said he was conservative! I cannot imagine a worse opponent for Romney than Santorum any more than I can imagine a worse opponent for Obama than Romney. If this primary turns into a fight between Santorum and Romney, then Romney will be the nominee. Santorum has been fully and effectively disarmed in this fight by his own support of Romney.
Yes, because you've really thought of something unique and original right? Why didn't every candidate think about videoing themselves arguing with......themselves and put it on youtube. Dude, if no one shows up at a debate there is no debate. You can't simply announce a debate, have no one show up, and video tape it. Debates are actual events, sponsored by news/entertain outfits. They only become debates by virtue of candidates showing up to talk.
I am supporting Newt by the way. I wish your idea would work, but it wouldn't. Nor do I believe for a moment there would ever be ANY Lincoln/Douglas style debates against Obama if Newt was the nominee. There would be the same 3 or so debates there are always are. Newt will ask for more debates since it is his strong suit, Obama will decline, Newt will hit him a few times with it until the media stops covering anything he says about it, and the issue will die.
Whatever you say, Dude
Poor Mitt, he wants to debate so badly, but alas, the little woman has put her foot down.
I would never allow my wife to go in front of anyone and say SHE decided their will be no more debates! What a wimp! It is not up to a wife to decide that, but the candidate himself, if he is a true leader.
I would never allow my wife to go in front of anyone and say SHE decided their will be no more debates! What a wimp! It is not up to a wife to decide that, but the candidate himself, if he is a true leader.
Newt and Santorum should keep going to the debates...It’ll look bad for Romney not to attend, ditto his elfish little maRONiette.
I could understand a candidate saying they were done with debates.
But his WIFE says she won’t LET him do any more debates. Nothing good can come for a candidate when his wife starts ordering him around.
One reason to have more debates is to see how they handle themselves while under attack.
Hiding behind his wife’s skirt.
What a pu$$y.
Good idea. That would give each candidate an opportunity to discuss issues in depth without the manipulation and gotcha garbage.
The world is not a static place, especially in the area of foreign policy and the intense situations in the Middle East. We need continuing input from the candidates that is hard to accomplish on large scale on the campaign trail
I think Huckabee ought to take the initiative and do these Forums himself. I’d certainly think he would have the experience to do a great job and focus on the issues.
That would depend.. if they are set up by commies for commies, then I would refuse unless he agrees to a debate by one of our moderators also ( maybe rush or levin )... otherwise it is just another stacked deck... like what was said by a famous computer in an old movie... “Interesting game, Professor Falken. The only way to win is to not play at all”...
Correct!!! we do not need a meely mouthed soft socialist, or another damn “Compassionate” conservative at this point in time... we need a nasty assed sumbitch that is going to go in and cut stuff.... in other words, this country needs a hatchet man. There is only one hatchet man out there right now... small l libertarians for Newt!!!!
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